Keeping Up Appearances
by Flowing Tears
Summary: Abby is forced to live with Kid Rot for a while. He will do everything she wants, follow her like a mindless drone, and when Ty and Labrat find her, his loyalty will be his downfall. Set several years after Rottingham Forest.
1. Chapter 1

Title: Keeping Up Appearances

Summary: Abby is forced to live with Kid Rot for a while. He will do everything she wants, follow her like a mindless drone, and when Ty and Labrat find her, his loyalty will be his downfall. Set several years after Rottingham Forest

Genre: Romance/Horror

Pairings:  One-sided Kid Rot/Abby, Abby/Chester

Disclaimer: I do not own Grossology characters, baddies, environments etc, etc. Any OC, baddy or location not recognisable is mine.

Rating and Warning: T for the mentioning of gore. Kid Rot losing it, OOCness on both parts. Really T just to be really safe.

A/N: This was a big shot in the dark. I wanted to explore Kid Rot's obsession with Abby. Sorry if it's a little chunky, just let me know what you think.

…- Keeping Up Appearances -…

It's raining.

That is the first thing Abby finds out when she wakes up from a night of peaceful slumber. She's still tired, but forces her eyes to open anyway, to just mere slits. She blinks the tiredness away, and it takes maybe a minute or two, but she soon fully wakes up. The first thing the redhead does is checking the clock on the nightstand next to the bed. It reads 4.53, very early in the morning. That's probably the reason why it's still pitch black outside.

Sure she could've gone back to sleep, knowing that she won't get away without waking _him_ up.

The young woman remains quiet for a little longer, just listening to him breathe. Not the gasping, rasping wheeze caused by fluid filling the lungs but a quiet breathing. His heartbeat is regular and slow, as it should be in sleep. Slow and soft.

Almost normal.

Mother Nature makes herself know and before Abby really thinks about it she's on her bare feet, quietly stalking out of the cosy bedroom into the bathroom. She still locks the door behind herself before turning the lights on, and she still listens for any sounds he could make.

However, Kid Rot is as silent as a shadow.

And furthermore, if he wants in, no door will stop him.

Not that he will disturb her.

When he brought her here, to this apartment is some nameless city in whatever country it may be, the bathroom had been her safe room.

Three months ago Abby had woken as if slapped in the face, waking up from a nightmare of Kid Rot standing next to her bed, bending over her and taking her away. The nightmare, though vague, had been real. He had taken her away and she has been waking up in that same bedroom for three full months now.

Flushing the toilet and scuffling towards the sink to wash her face and hands Abby gets to take another good look at herself. It's almost scary to look at herself, still looking healthy and alive when she is at the mercy of the blond psycho. In three months she's lost a bit of colour to her skin and a little bit of weight, but all in all, he was taking great care of her. Obsessed or not, all she had to do was snap her fingers and he was at her feet with food, or ready to answer her questions, or with a random gift he really wanted to give her.

He hadn't touched her though.

Sure, in the beginning he had grabbed her hand, reached for her arm and on one occasion had tried to embrace her, but she had kicked and screamed at the top of her lungs. Kid Rot did back off, and kept his hands to himself. Almost as if abiding by her wish not to be touched. Which probably disturbed her even more then when he wouldn't, though she doesn't want to think of the things he would do to her if he would just touch her in any way he wanted.

She knows what teenage guys want, but he is hardly a teenager anymore. Hardly human even…

He has a strong grip for such a scrawny guy. It must be because of what he has become, because of the parasite. Super human.

With a soft sigh Abby turns the light in the bathroom off, then unlocks the door and quietly opens it. He will be sitting there, on the bed, watching her and waiting for her to come back to bed. It's always like this, he will wake up seconds after her and will refrain from sleep until she comes back to bed. And if Abby decides she doesn't want to come back to bed he will stay awake too, even though he looks like he could use a good night's sleep. Which should last for maybe a week or two.

The carpet is soft to her feet, not the nasty cold of the bathroom tiles. Without looking at the bed in general she turns while closing the door, fully awake and unsure if she really wants to go back to bed. Quickly deciding against sleep again she turns around to face him, only to find he's still asleep.

Vast asleep.

Perfect.

He doesn't even move when she sneaks out of the bedroom, his breathing remains the same as she makes for an exit. She doesn't close the door behind her, knowing that the click might disturb him. Instead she tiptoes through the corridor, never touching the light switches.

The living room is fairly big, with couches and chairs, a table and a T.V. she watches when really bored. The coffee table is littered with books he brought her to read, even a few on the floor.

The whole apartment is fairly big and kept in great condition. It's clean, though maybe a little too much with all the flowers and plants occupying every room. Abby likes flowers, and Kid Rot knows it so he systematically creates her some when the plants are dying. Yes, creates them, like he used to in the beginning. She had been so impressed when the things he rotted grew back with even more vigour. That moment probably engrained itself inside his brain because he keeps doing it, keeps rotting the dying plants so that a new bouquet can grow, even bigger then the last. Though it has gotten old when he did it for the millionth time, she still pretends to be impressed so he will keep doing it.

So he will keep wasting power.

When the redhead passes a small cabinet something sparkling catches her eye. Intrigued immediately she goes for it, gently picking it up and turning it in her hands.

The chain is thin and made of silver. But although it's thin, it also seems very sturdy, it won't break easily. What had caught her eye is the pendant made of gold and ruby, a deep red rose encrusted with emerald and golden thorns. It looks fragile and Abby's almost scared to hold it. Careful not to bend it, though that might be more difficult then she gives the necklace credit for, she turns it around and slowly wraps it around her neck. The jewel is cold against her skin as she locks it, but also feels rather good. It glitters in the moonlight when she turns around to look at herself in the mirror. "It looks good on you." To Kid Rot however, everything looks good on her. When she turns her head she sees him standing in the hallway, not making a move to get closer to her yet. The soft light of the moon makes him look pale. Makes him look more normal and alive then ever.

More so then when he first brought her here.

Though he gave her everything she wanted, and something extra, Kid Rot refused to release her, to let her leave. What could she do? Nothing, she knows. She and her brother fought him enough times to know that this psycho is powerful, dangerous. They have seen what he is capable of.

Kid Rot had become your average super villain. It had been a joke Ty made once, about how the creep could seriously take over the world if he wanted to. However, his intensions were to make everything rot, which on its turn would cause global destruction. Eventually the world really could turn into a giant desert, and Kid Rot would have no reason to stop even when people would give him what he wanted. Growing up in a wasteland is not on Abby's agenda though, and therefore she had thrown a pillow at her brother for joking about it. She had seen a movie about an apocalypse where everything had died and people had resorted to cannibalism because there was nothing left to eat. The thought alone made her sick, and she had promised herself she would do anything she could to stop Kid Rot.

By any means necessary.

So while she was here she devised a plan. So simple, yet so devious.

After the drama in Rottingham Forest she had demanded the bureau would keep an eye out for any signs of rot, everything that seemed just a bit out of the ordinary.

Because they hadn't found a body in that sea of rot and death. And seeing as Kid Rot had kept to rotting trees and plants, surely his body would not have been consumed.

And indeed, after three years enough clues had been gathered. Turned out Kid Rot had been alive and well and had travelled to Europe, and then to Asia along the border of Russia. The first big clue had come when an entire animal reserve in China had been rotted to the ground. But this time it hadn't kept to vegetation. Animals had fallen victim too. All that had remained were bone and fur, and even that made Abby believe Kid Rot had left that on purpose.

It had been a display of power, what that blond freakshow had done. To let the world know he was still alive.

Sort of.

Which led to a chase through Asia, towards Mongolia and then towards Russia again, but not even Kid Rot can take the freezing winds of the midwinter there. Once more he had vanished, until he repeated what he had done in China once more in America, only worse.

He had rotten a complete Zoo to the ground, this time leaving no trace of bone and fur of animal and human alike.

Of course, Kid Rot is a complicated and troubled little maniac and can obsess over the smallest things. Mainly Abby. He might have disappeared, but of course he came back for her.

Which led to the redhead waking up in this apartment filled with flowers and plants and gifts just for her. First it had looked like a dream with all the beauty set up for her, which then turned nightmare when he reared his ugly head. The nightmare, though quite bearable now, continued and all Abby had to do was make the best of it until her brother and Lab Rat would come to her rescue. Three full months he's kept her here now.

Lucky for her Kid Rot kept to himself and would disappear most of the time, although she doesn't know how. The front door is barricaded with chains and locks and a wooden beam too heavy for her to move. The windows could be opened, but between her and freedom was a fall well over fifty stories down. Where they are is beyond her. All she can tell is that they are in a big city, presumably in America, but that of course makes one of hundreds.

There was also one thing that kept Kid Rot returning to her. All she had to do is ask. All she had to do was look a little sad and he would crumble. All she had to do was tell him what she was in the mood for and he would get her exactly what she wanted.

Because Abby needs to eat.

At first she had refused to eat anything. She kept it up for a good three days, barricaded inside the bathroom before _she_ gave in to him. In three days, she had been starving herself and driving Kid Rot nearly insane. On day two he had broken the door down with what seemed to be very little effort, but he hadn't entered, as if there was an invisible wall holding him back. Or maybe he had been afraid he would hurt her. There were times Abby seriously wondered if he knew his own strength.

He didn't raise his voice at her ever since she got here, until the third day she had refused to eat. His sanity cracking was just an understatement and he had shown her what kind of monster he had become.

He had screeched and screamed and gasped like a drowning man. He had scraped his finger nails over the walls until they bled. He once banged his head against the corner of a table with a loud, sickening crack that seemed to echo through the entire floor of the den, of which the spot actually dented and the skin broke and he bled in a way only possible in movies. He had twisted his neck and hands and arms and limbs in positions she _knows_ aren't possible unless dislocated with the cracking of joints and pulling of muscles. He hadn't touched her, hadn't come near her at all but he had been there, screaming, crying, howling, drooling and bleeding…

He had snapped.

He had actually thrown a fit out of sheer terror, had panicked so intensely he _terrified_ her more then when he actually _was_ trying to scare her.

And he stopped the moment she took a bite from a pear that he had tried to give her the day before. He'd watched with teary eyes, dripping mouth and bleeding other parts as she ate the pear just so he would stop.

So he did.

And he brought her a whole pile of pears afterwards.

After that, he made sure she got to eat whatever she wanted, whenever she wanted, however she wanted it. There was a kitchen here too, fully equipped and actually very big. Just to get through with the time Abby made pies and cakes and cooked things that needed an entire day to brew. She would send him out with a shopping list and he got her what she wanted within record time. How he managed to get all of that was beyond her, as she couldn't picture Kid Rot just walking into a store and shop for whatever she wanted.

See, the young man was human, once, but in the beginning of these three months had looked like a corpse. His skin was purple, blue, green, dark and unhealthy. His eyes were bloodshot and his pupils constantly dilated. His hair was a mess, uncombed and seemingly cut randomly where it had become too long for his taste. His clothes were torn in some places and could not be considered warm but he didn't seem to notice it.

But all that had changed.

The parasite lodged into his brain and crawling down his nervous system is what gives Kid Rot his power, is what makes him the vindictive megalomaniac that she had come to know. Power, that takes a lot of energy to sustain. Power that comes from the nutritious rot he absorbs to leave a dead mess. From what Abby believes he needed to rot a lot of things to keep his powers up, and for the last two weeks he hadn't devoured as much as he would have needed.

So now he looks less like that sickening lunatic and more like the youngster she had come to know as Chester. His hair and clothes are still a mess but his skin has regained its somewhat healthy, natural colour. His eyes changed back to the normal dark brown colour she liked a lot on him. They still have a hint of copper and yellow in them, and are still slightly bloodshot with somewhat dilated pupils but other then that, he's really turning back to the Chester she had grown fond of.

"Where did you get this?" Kid Rot knows when she is lying, so pretending that she doesn't like this necklace won't work.

Because she really likes it.

"Outside…"

_Others remember what Kid Rot forgets and when he does remember he's being mystically vague. _Those were Ty's exact words and even now they make her smile a bit. She misses her brother, that is true.

They fall into silence. Abby because she doesn't know what more to say or ask. She isn't hungry yet, and will decide what she wants for breakfast later. So she slowly makes her way to the couch of the living room and sits down. Kid Rot remains standing in the hallway, staring at a plant with a somewhat hungry look in his teary eyes. If she's right, and Abby has been right about everything in the last month or so, he is losing power quickly. The young man doesn't eat, at least not that Abby knows. Sure he sleeps, but only light and only for a few hours. He must be running on reserves now, he must leave soon and rot something horrible and absorb the nutritious goo of his victims. "I have to… outside…" Indeed, she knows him.

"Oh…" She forces with a hint of sadness. "I was hoping you would stay with me a little longer." Before she even has a chance to look in his direction he is in front of her. No questions, no denials, no reasoning. He's just there, standing in front of her and silently waiting for permission to sit next to her, or in front of her on the ground, or even near her at all.

When Abby smiles at him he sits down next to her. There are a few inches between them, he doesn't move in to touch her at all. She always makes those moves. He let her know although he is the powerful one, he will not hurt her. Not touch her. Sometimes he barely looks at her. So it's her move, her call. Pulling her legs up Abby leans against him, resting her head on his shoulder and letting him put an arm around her. When she's finally settled he lets out a sigh, almost exhausted, but content.

While sitting here with her he will quickly forget he has a lot of power that needs to be sustained, and then he will follow her around the apartment the entire day, and he will leave with a shopping list or leave when he feels the need to bring her another gift, and he will watch her go to bed and wait for permission to lie next to her, and he will fall asleep with her close.

And he will lose more and more power like this, day in, day out.

He will do everything she wants, follow her like a mindless drone, and when Ty and Labrat find her, his loyalty will be his downfall.

Hopefully.

-Einde

I really wanted to look into Kid Rot and Abby, and especially what he could become. Sanity doesn't seem to be very high on his list, him obsessing over Abby seemed almost… natural? It happens with animals too, so why not with him?

Oh I really hope you guys liked this idea. Or not. Let me know what you think. This is my first Grossology and I hope it gave you a little something to think about. I do have a few more ideas for Kid Rot, and if this is a success I will also think of a second chapter. Abby still needs to be saved of course.


	2. Chapter 2

Disclaimer: I do not own Grossology characters, baddies, environments etc, etc. Any OC, baddy or location not recognisable is mine.

Rating and Warning: T for the mentioning of gore. Kid Rot losing it, OOCness on both parts. Really T just to be really safe.

A/N: I decided to update this story a while ago, but then I sort of got stuck on the plot. Well… I still am, but at least now I have a part two.

…- Keeping up Appearances -…

"…_if you see this man, notify your local police department. Do not approach this man yourself. He is extremely dangerous…"_ The anchorman keeps talking and talking about a threat to humanity. The more Abby listens to him, the more worried she becomes. She doesn't know over what she's becoming stressed, though it might have something to do with the psychopathic lunatic she's forced to live with.

The pictures they keep showing aren't as disturbing as some of the things she has seen, of what Kid Rot has really done. Of course they will dull it down for television, but still.

The redhead sits back, hugging the pillow close to herself and staring at the ceiling for a bit.

Crimes against humanity…

You can call it that yes…

…

She's actually starting to miss him. Misses talking to him.

Oh God… the Apocalypse must be near…

Something is happening. Good or bad, she doesn't know. Abby takes a deep breath, inhaling through her nose. After a short moment of silence she throws the pillow on the floor, not caring where it lands and stands to her feet. She's pretty much just bored out of her mind. Abby is a social animal, she likes company, even the baddest kind of company she can get. But since the parasite is unable to be with her all the time she's been unable to get out of this bored stupor.

He's been asleep for two full days now. And during the last night he hadn't tossed or turned at all. Just lies there, motionless.

Maybe he's dying?

The great, almighty Kid Rot, feared and hated by many, many people… dying.

She doesn't know if she would be happy with that. Yes, that psycho is dangerous and only deserves the worst. But she still believes that there is a part of Chester still somewhere deep inside the parasite trying to struggle free.

Before she can realise it her feet have carried her to the bedroom they share, have stopped in the opening of the door. She had left it ajar, just so she could hear it if he would wake up, or move, or do anything at all apart from sleeping.

But nothing, as usual.

She watches the still form for a while, worrying her lower lip between her teeth. His looks are changing, again. His skin had been a light green or yellow ish colour, but it was now turning ghastly white. He's vast asleep now, but he still has dark bags beneath his eyes as if deprived of any rest for months. His breathing, once raspy and loud, which had somewhat quieted down is now completely silent and shallow. His heartbeat, which she checks every time she comes here is soft and irregular. He's losing weight, what had been left of that, fast. He won't last long like this.

Neither Kid Rot or Chester can last.

For the billionth or so time she walks up to the bed, completely unafraid. Not that her captor would actually hurt her. He could, definitely could but he didn't. As if he really loves her. And as usual the redhead begins to fuss over the sheets, pulling them up and over Kid Rot's body again. He doesn't move a finger as usual.

"Not so tough now huh?" She opts to no one in particular, since _he_ certainly isn't listening.

With another sigh she leaves the bedroom again, returning to the living room where she can continue to be bored and annoyed and alone.

Thee. She could make some thee. Sip some of the stuff while watching a rerun of the Dog Whisperer. It's all reruns… Seriously she's going mad here. A tapping noise disturbs her from her inner bitching. When Abby turns her head to look at the source she's met with something she least expected.

There is a pigeon sitting in the window, tapping the glass with its little beak.

The redhead raises her eyebrows at that, she's never seen a bird sitting up here. She hasn't seen any animals for that matter, probably Kid Rot's aura scaring them off. Well, that saves them from a nasty death, so she understands them all to well. This pigeon however defies all logic, keeps tapping on the glass and looking at her with big, beady eyes.

So Abby opens the window, surprised the bird doesn't fly off. Instead it hops inside, sitting in the window still. "You're one brave little dude aren't you?" She smiles at the bird, petting it and wondering why it isn't scared.

Her question is quickly answered when she notes a little piece of paper attached to the pigeon's left leg with a piece of black string. Utterly confused the redhead begins to unwrap the ribbon, being extra careful so she won't hurt the bird. The moment she has removed the note the pigeon flies off through the still open window. The young woman follows it with her eyes as far as she can but soon enough the bird disappears around a building.

The paper rustles a little as she unwraps it, and what she reads makes her grow a bit fuzzy on the inside.

_Abby._

_We're coming for you. Evacuated the area in a six mile radius. Team is standing by, ready to storm the den. Twenty minutes._

_See you soon,_

_Tyler._

It has been a while since she has been this happy. She had missed her brother, missed her family. Hell she's starting to miss Paige, and that is saying something.

Suddenly, out of the blue a cold shudder forces itself up her spine. She grows cold all over, a worried feeling of dread lodging itself in her stomach. The redhead becomes a little uneasy, afraid of turning around. She can feel the cold stare on the back of her neck, eyes piercing her soul.

"You're up." She collects all of her courage to turn her head, quickly stuffing the paper inside the pocket of her pants.

Kid Rot is standing near the opposite wall, staring her down and looking irritated and exhausted. He's slouching more then usual and swaying to the left and to the right a bit, as if drunk. Abby doesn't like the look in his eyes, as if he's sizing her up. As if he's actually out for a fight.

"Is something wrong?" She keeps her voice down. He shrugs, shoulders shaking a bit.

"I'm not stupid…" He shakes his head from side to side, bangs falling in front of his eyes. "…I just figured out what you've been trying to do these past few weeks…"

He chuckles to himself, a dark, horrible sound that makes Abby's blood run cold. She inhales deeply, trying to compose herself. This is new territory. He has a reason to be angered and to direct that at her. The grin on his lips has died out. He remains somewhat rooted to his spot on the floor. He's having a hard time keeping his balance, swaying from side to side. Abby sizes him up, trapped between two ideas that are both very unpleasant.

One: She could let him go, let him do what he needs to do. Kill people, animals, everything to recharge and slap her back to where she started months ago. Let him cause as much destruction as he needs. Kid Rot is suffering from great hunger, and it will take a lot for it to be stilled. How much exactly is something Abby doesn't want to think about. Of course he won't find anyone, only police and Grossologists ready for a fight. But they must have plans of their own, and if she understood Ty's note right they will be coming in soon.

Or two: She could try and take him down now. There are many things lying around she could use as a weapon. She could try and knock him out, then find something to tie him up with and then GTFO and get some help. The problem is that he could still possess a great deal of power, and if she really infuriates him he could hurt her. He could kill her.

"And I'm not… happy with that." His head lulls to the side and he keeps looking at her with a crazed demeanour surrounding him. The parasite looks, if anything, hungry. Starving even.

He looks like he wants to eat her alive.

"Why not make a list of things you need? I'll collect them when I return." He still asks, and suddenly Abby realises something is off.

He might be swaying, and his eyes are darting with dilated pupils, but the parasite is collected. He isn't as calm as before he went to sleep, but he seems to be more aware of everything. She doesn't like the look in his eyes either. The only thing she can go is shake her head no. He shrugs and turns on his heels, going back to the bedroom to change into another shirt. He leaves Abby inside the living room.

While he turns to leave she begins to look around for a weapon. Anything to hit him with, to defend herself with.

To keep him here.

If he leaves now things might get complicated. Of course he will know something is wrong when he steps outside and into deserted streets. If the Grossologists are done evacuating, then there will be no prey left for Kid Rot within miles. But if they are still in the middle of emptying the streets all hell will break loose.

There is a modern statue standing on the floor in the corner of the living room. It's one of the many gifts Kid Rot had given her. It's modern art, she doesn't know what it resembles but she could use it to hit him over the head. They needed twenty minutes, surely she can keep him here for another twenty minutes.

The parasite gives her a soft and almost carefree smile when he emerges again, having changed into another shirt. For a moment he doesn't look at her at all, giving her the perfect opportunity to strike. As if it's being deliberate.

It's now or never.

The statue is heavy, but not too much for her to handle.

The impact, a sickening cracking of his skull, causes Kid Rot to slam into the wall, quickly collapsing onto the floor. There is a splatter of blood on the wall, droplets slowly dripping down. Abby can only stare as the parasite's hair begins to matt together because of the blood freely flowing down the side of his head. It crawls along his neck, down onto his dark clothes. Colours mix, and she can even smell the metallic scent. What she feared most is actually happening as the young man doesn't lose his consciousness at all. He merely sits there, leaning against the wall for support as a small puddle of blood begins to grow on the spot where he sits.

The blond quivers once, as if trying to keep himself from lunging at her and snap her in half.

Abby can practically hear his blood boil with rage.

"I take it…" He pauses, pushing himself up. The stream of blood pouring down his head is thinning out, cut knitting back together quickly. The area around his eyes, which is usually a sickening white is now a dark blue, bruised because of his head injury. "…you have a really good explanation for hitting me?"

He bares his teeth and hisses, eyes now unfocussed. The parasite sways again, putting an effort on staring her down.

"Not really." She challenges, and finally he focuses.

There is a pressure in the room which she hasn't felt for quite a while. The air seems to thicken, harder to breathe. A faint scent waves in the air, one she immediately recognises. At that very moment one of the plants behind her topples over, stem breaking down under its left over weight. All around her she can hear the disturbing rustling of leaves, as if the plants and flowers are actually screaming for help and mercy. It doesn't keep to plants as the carpet beneath her feet seems to move out of its own, melting. The faint smell grows stronger, the smell of rot and decay.

Even the blood on Kid Rot's body swiftly turns into a deep brown, then almost black substance as he rots it away and absorbs whatever nutrition it may still hold.

And for the first time ever, she's really afraid of him.

- Word Vervolgd

Uhm, fuck yeah I'm continuing!

GTFO: it literally means Get The Fuck Out. When you have to go, you get the fuck out.


	3. Chapter 3

Disclaimer: I do not own Grossology characters, baddies, environments etc, etc. Any OC, baddy or location not recognisable is mine.

Rating and Warning: T for the mentioning of gore. Kid Rot losing it, OOCness on both parts. Really T just to be really safe. Character death?

A/N: I decided to update this story a while ago, but then I sort of got stuck on the plot. Well… I still am, but at least now I have a part three as well.

…- Keeping up Appearances -…

Rotting everything within the apartment that could be rotted has given the parasite more power then Abby first realised.

The door is giving in, but Kid Rot is unable to slam it down from its hinges. He has yet to break through the barricade she has set up. Another hard slam against the other side of the door, and the heavy refrigerator concealing it actually moves with the impact. She can hear wood splintering on the other side, breaking under his constant physical assault. The fact that he cannot rot the damn thing away has calmed the young woman greatly. In time, he will tire himself out again. Not even rotting everything and absorbing their nutrition can help him now.

And it's still a matter of time before Grossologists will move in.

A particular hard slam and the screeching movement of the refrigerator on the ground has Abby turn her head once to observe. She steels herself again and moves towards one of the counters. A big wooden block has been her goal when she barricaded herself within the kitchen. Thankfully she had time to move the refrigerator to the door. If Ty hadn't told her once that they have wheels, and they need to be toppled slightly in order to move them she probably wouldn't have bought this much time already.

With a sharp slice the biggest knife comes loose from the wooden block, a big and relatively heavy knife with rounded edges and a bloody sharp blade. It is perfect for stabbing. This will be her first weapon against him, if only to defend herself against him. Hopefully she can distract him long enough. Another knife is added to her small arsenal, a small one follows which she straps against her leg with bandages, and hides that one partially beneath the leg of her pants.

She nearly throws herself behind the cooking island in the middle of the kitchen, ducking for cover when the door on the other side of the room finally gives and the refrigerator topples forward, slamming with the top half into the square island and remaining in that position.

There is a soft click indicating the parasite hits the light switch, but the light isn't turned on. Abby hopes she can make her way out of the kitchen under the cover of the dark room. The erratic breathing of her host quickly falls silent, Kid Rot going into stealth mode. It's scary how quickly he can become deadly silent when just a moment before he was all raging noises and sickening sounds.

Counting heavily on her own luck Abby scoots to the side and moves forward on her hands and knees. She dares to peek around the corner but finds nothing. Her hopes are to surprise him, to stab him in a leg so she can make a run for it. The parasite, though recharged somewhat has lost a great deal of power. He is not nearly as fast or powerful as he was before.

The young woman presses herself against the counter again, knowing that he must be coming from the other side. Collecting all of her courage she scoots to the other side. Her heart is pounding in her chest so loud Kid Rot must hear it too but she doesn't care. With every ounce of courage in her body she peeks around the corner of the island again, ready to strike should he have stalked close.

He's not there either.

With a gasp the young redhead slams herself against the counter again, feeling herself go extremely pale. He's not on her left, and he's not on her right. The knowledge lodges into her stomach like a solid rock. She is growing cold all over, the dread and anticipation becoming almost too much to bear as she waits for him to strike. Not to her left. And not to her right. He is on neither place.

The blade in her hands digs into her skin when she kludges to too hard. Adrenaline is starting to pump through her veins. She knows. And furthermore, _he_ probably knows she knows. The young woman closes her eyes and inhales through her nose deeply, no longer making an effort to stay quiet. Then she opens her eyes again and tenses. He must have felt it, because she feels his disturbance above her. With a cry she moves, pushing the blade up before he has a chance to pull himself back up the counter. She doesn't know where she hits him, but she _hits_ him. She could feel the resistance meeting the blade, the hot blood gushing over her hands and the undignified roar of anger was almost painful to her ears.

She nearly tumbles out of the kitchen, something heavy and big missing her by a hair's length. Of course he is right behind her, his presence ever powerful

With a battle cry she turns on her heels when he comes too close, swinging the blade out and nearly throwing it at him with all her might. There is contact again, the redhead knows before she loses balance and falls backwards. Her behind hurts from the impact, but she quickly recovers, still holding the blade out as if it were to stop him again if he charged for her. "Drop it." He hisses, _demands_, furious that she dares arm herself against him.

There is a large cut on his chest, bleeding furiously into his clothes. She now sees where she first stabbed him in the kitchen. His shoulder is bleeding, and he is having trouble moving that arm. She must have hit a nerve.

It's not enough to take him down though.

The parasite moves again, so very quick his speed is inhuman. Abby tries to stab him once more but he easily blocks it. He only cares to disarm her, to overpower her, to stop her struggling. Abby almost drops the knife when he kludges her wrist with too much force, until she jerks sharply, then he responds just as harshly. She almost topples backwards again, making him almost lose his footing. Another sharp jerk downwards and the knife almost drops. Another jerk upwards and he accidentally _hits_ her. The hit isn't enough to harm her greatly but she goes down with a lot of force. Instinct and years of fighting bad guys have taught her that you must be able to improvise. So instead of continuing their struggle Abby responds to the hit by falling on the floor with a forced cry of fear and pain, the knife falling inches away from her. The carpet is wet against her but she ignores the smell and the sickening wetness for now.

"Abby?" The parasite falls as still as she, only his erratic breathing evident that he is still standing next to her. Seconds tick by while he tries to figure out what just happened. Shocked he steps forward and falls to his knees, hands flying up to her shoulder and her head. She has her eyes closed and feigns unconsciousness, but she can hear the shock in his quivering voice. "Abby…" He chokes out and shakes her as he can muster. The redhead doesn't move in favour of waiting this out.

It's still important she buys time.

He's shaking, his whole body is trembling with shock and exhaustion. "I'm sorry… I'm so sorry…" His voice is awfully quiet, toning down into fevering apologies. He turns the young woman in his arms, pulling her onto his lap and cradling her delicate body. Abby tries to remain as motionless as possible, but in all fairness she is getting a little scared when he begins sobbing. There are tears falling on her face she can tell, which is greatly disturbing. Apology after apology is flowing from his lips, most of them becoming incoherent because of his breaking voice and strong sobs. He's acting like he killed her.

It's perfect really.

The parasite falls completely silent when she opens her eyes again. From the crazed look in his eyes she can tell he didn't see this coming, it's like he sees water burning. They remain silent for a while, Abby trying to keep him mesmerised as long as possible, and Kid Rot unable to do _anything _for a little while until coherent thoughts finally catch up with him again.

"I'm sorry I hit you."

"I know." He opens his mouth again, probably to apologise some more, a strangled sound escaping his throat. His whole frame goes ridged, a long tremble slipping down his spine. He can't move, twitching and shaking, he remains seated on his spot while the young woman backs away and crawls for safety, as far away from him as possible. She half expected him to come at her and scream and tear her head off or something.

Apparently, he is more affected by this then he wants to lead on. Furious eyes filled with shock and _heartache_ land on her frame while she pushes herself against the wall beneath a window, pulling the little knife out of its hiding place. The blonde's eyes are wide in disbelief and anger, but he remains on his spot. A guttural whisper is creeping into his breathing, growing louder and louder with every heave of his chest. He tears his eyes away from her to look down at himself. His fingers are clutching the blade lodged in his stomach, just below his ribcage. There is a small puddle forming on the carpet already.

Growling like a monster the parasite begins pulling it out with a sickening noise, slow and careful not to damage his internal organs further. Blood which has been seeping out of the wound now begins to stream more furiously; Abby can see the droplets gushing when he finally gets back to his feet.

The ominous rasping of his hoarse throat is the final tell tale sign that he is at the end of his ropes. His eyes are bloodshot, divulging fatigue and most of all, betrayal. Abby is clutching the last knife in both her hands, her knuckles turning white and the blade digging into her hands but she doesn't even feel the pain as she crouches to a striking position. A small staring match ensues, neither of them moving, just glaring the other down. Both wait for the other to twitch.

Something nags at the back of the young woman's head. Again a little voice begins talking about Chester. About how she should try talking to him, try to lure Chester out again. It has worked a few times before, sort of, before the Kid Rot persona would completely take over again. The little voice is telling her to start talking again, about _anything_, just so she can at least lie down peacefully tonight, knowing she did everything she could for someone who clearly _needed_ the help.

Her lips part ever so slightly and the parasite twitches and leans forward, ready to strike with teeth and claws. Abby doesn't speak; words simply fail to come to her. Her lips close again, then they open, and then they close again, like a fish gasping for air. She broke eye contact, lost the staring match.

Distracted.

By a little red dot on the centre of the parasite's forehead.

Kid Rot's eyes suddenly shoot up, away from her, above her, at something or someone behind her. She can't react in time when the window behind her shatters with a loud bang and clattering glass. Shards fly all around her and she can feel some of them cutting her, not deep, not deadly, but her skin and clothes are nicked and she dives to the floor. The redhead closes her eyes out of instinct and shields her head with her arms, winching at the strangled screech coming from the parasite. The outcry is cut short abruptly, and quickly after that a body hits the carpet.

A lot of noise follows, more loud bangs at every possible window, all of that glass splintering in sharp fragments. Boots hit the floor, their sound barely muffled by the carpeted floor. There is movement around her, orders are being shouted, confirms are being thrown back and forth through radios. _"Target eliminated."_ That… doesn't feel well at all.

The youngster cracks one eye open, curiosity getting the better of her. A large boot is all she can see in her line of vision. "Abby!" Hands fall around her shoulders and lift her with strength she didn't know he possessed. _Target eliminated._ "Hey come on! It's me!" The Grossologist that is holding her nearly rips his own helmet off and throws it away. It clatters dully through the room. "Abby!" She still can't believe what's happening. Her brother gently grabs her hands and tugs gently at the knife, willing her to let it go. "It's over." He promises before pulling her into his arms again and helping her onto her shaking legs. _Target eliminated._

"_Target secured. Get him out."_ The barricade that was the front door has been taken down. Several of the Grossologists are moving in, others are moving out. Amidst the sea of bodies a duo of Grossologists lifts a stretcher with a large black bag secured with thick belts. When they move a large red stain appears on the wall, crimson droplets languidly dripping down without a care in the world. People start to take samples of everything in the apartment.

It doesn't take a genius to figure out what happened.

Twenty minutes later Abby has calmed down. The radio is still buzzing with orders. Grossologists are working in the area to remove everything related to Kid Rot, and are preparing for the locals to return to their homes. The body of the parasite is being loaded into a guarded chopper.

The Bureau is not taking any chances.

"They are going to move the body to a lab in the desert." Tyler offers his sister a bottle of water. She gingerly takes it and struggles it open. Her throat has gone dry from all the excitement. "Where?"

"Area 51." She snorts through her selfish gulping. The youngster lowers the bottle with an appreciative smile before brother and sister fall silent. They both stare at the chopper on top of the small building. They can't see the people moving, but Grossologists have finished preparing the body for transport. The engines of the machine are revving and soon it lifts itself from the building, quickly making its way towards the designated area.

"He didn't hurt you did he?" Ty suddenly raps out, face contorting with momental fury at the possible thought of that sick bastard touching his sister. "No." She quickly intervenes before his thoughts can become too gloomy and disturbing. The parasite hadn't tried to kill her until today. And maybe he didn't mean to kill her today either. It's not like Kid Rot to harm her. "It's not like him to attack you though…"

"No it isn't."

"What happened?" The redhead inhales, mouth opening, words forming slowly. It's all been so incredibly weird. This whole experience has been weird. "He was coming back."

"Chester?"

"The parasite wasn't feeding itself. It was weak. I think I _saw_ Chester." Her brother casts his eyes to the ground, a deep look of contemplation on his face. Abby continues softly. "A few more days…"

"Maybe we could have saved him."

"That's what you said the last six times."

"I know but…" The young man falls silent for a moment, thinking of a good answer. "You just _think_ it." They laugh for a bit, because it's true. Abby stops smiling when her brother stops laughing. He remains still for a moment, confusion and worry crossing his eyes as he listens to the headset still attached to his suit. Abby inhales deeply, feeling herself grow cold.

It's so obvious. Superhuman, why shouldn't it happen? The raven haired youngster slowly turns to his sister, a look of determination on his face. His voice is hoarse from the sudden strain and tension. She knows what happened even before he opens his mouth.

"The chopper went down…"

Somehow, that doesn't seem so surprising.

- End?

Should I end it here or not? Lol even I don't know yet.


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